Whilst roaming around the Speedway paddocks for our 2012 Fuji Jamboree coverage we spotted this FRP creation stamped with a vintage Mark of Soichiro below a Honda Twin Cam Club decal. What could this contraption be? Why it’s the 1966 Macransa Tojiro-III, a home-brewed Japanese race car based on the Honda S800. Continue reading
Motorsports: The Honda S800-based Macransa Tojiro-III
Posted in honda, motorsports
Tagged alpine, dome, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, honda, lola, lola t70, m63, Macransa T-III, Macransa Tojiro-III, Minoru Hayashi, motorsports, porsche, porsche 904, renault, s500, s600, s800, soichiro honda
8 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 02
In Part 01 of our 2012 Fuji Jamboree coverage we focused on machines that took to the Speedway. Blood red hakosuka with Okamoto logos? You know those black Wats are ready to cut loose on Fuji’s tarmac. However, as every good otaku knows, the parking area of any Japanese car fest puts on just a good a show as the event itself. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, isuzu, nissan, toyota
Tagged a20, b210, bellett, butaketsu, c10, c110, c130, c210, celica, daruma, datsun, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, gc10, gc110, Hakosuka, hayashi, hayashi street, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kp30, laurel, MkII, motorsports, nissan, publica, ra28, rs watanabe, s500, s600, s800, skyline, ssr, starlet, sunny, sunny excellent, toyota, watanabe, yonmeri
15 Comments
Question of the Week: What’s Japan’s most luxurious car?
From the world’s first production GPS system in the JC Eunos Cosmo to the Cressida’s redundant stereo volume dial next to the steering wheel, Japan has always been a pioneer of automotive luxury. That is why this week we ask,
What’s Japan’s most luxurious car?
The obvious answer is the Toyota Century, the uber-exclusive limousine whose name marked the 100th birthday of Sakichi Toyoda, founder of the Toyota industrial empire. Its overall shape has barely changed since its debut in 1967 and its basic underlying engineering ran for 30 years, until 1997 when its V8 powertrain was upgraded to a V12 that Toyota builds exclusively for this one model. Among the many accessories offered on the Century over the years are a self-leveling air suspension, built-in refrigerator, massaging seats, and a pass-through on the front passenger seat-back so the VIP in back can stretch his legs out while non-verbally dominating the chauffeur with his foot odor.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining, well-written, or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random JDM toy. Click through to see the winner from last week’s question, “What’s the most overrated nostalgic car?” Continue reading
EVENTS: 2012 Fuji Jamboree, Part 01
If the sight of a Skyline and Savanna in nostalgic warpaint doesn’t stir your soul, we’ll go ahead and notify your next of kin. Add to that a sprinkling of Starlet, Sunny, and a snazzy Japanese-colors retro racing helmet perched just so, as if placed by a set decorator for Rush, and you’ve got to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real. Ouch, it is, and it’s the 2012 Fuji Jamboree. Continue reading
Posted in events, honda, isuzu, mazda, motorsports, nissan, toyota
Tagged 110s, 1600 sports, 2000 sports, 240z, 260z, 280z, 330, 510, advan, alpine, b110, bellett, bluebird, bmw 2002, c10, c110, c130, cedric, cosmo sport, datsun, europa, fairlady roadster, fairlady z, familia, familia rotary coupe, fuij speedway, fuji jamboree, fuji speedway, gc10, gloria, gordini, gt-b, gt-r, Hakosuka, honda, isuzu, kenmeri, kgc10, kgc110, kpgc10, kpgc110, laurel, lola t70, lotus, m63, macransa, mazda, motorsports, nissan, passol, porsche 904, publica, r100, renault, rs watanabe, rx-3, s30, s500, s54, s600, s800, savanna, skyline, sports 800, starlet, sunny, toyota, toyota sports 800, wagon, watanabe, yamaha
19 Comments
Benvenuto l’Alfa Miata! Mazda X Fiat collab announced
And so it comes full circle. In 1989 Mazda launched the template for the modern roadster, the MX-5 Miata. It was so pure in formula that the Japanese model name was simply “Roadster,” a tribute to British and Italian droptops of yore. Except they weren’t really of yore. Alfa Romeo’s Spider was still clutching onto the segment for dear life with technology that was three decades old, and yet somehow that was the US market’s roadster of choice.
The rise of the Miata ushered in a new era of top-down two-seaters like the BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster and Mercedes SLK, driving the final coffin nail into the very roadsters that inspired it. Alfa retreated from our shores into the waiting arms of Fiat, where Italy’s GM slowly sucked out any remnants of its soul.
Yesterday in Japan Mazda announced that a new tie-up with Fiat that will give Alfa Romeo the MX-5 platform for an as of yet unnamed roadster. Cue African “Circle of Life” chant! Continue reading
Posted in mazda
Tagged alfa romeo, eunos, mazda, miata, mx-5, na, nb, nc, racing mate, roadster
20 Comments
Question of the Week: What is the most overrated nostalgic car?
We’ve asked what the most underrated nostalgic was, but we neglected to find its flip side. Thus we ask you this week.
What is the most overrated nostalgic car?
The one car which we had high expectations for — because of it’s flame-spitting 450 horsepower Group A circuit victories — was the Skyline R31 GTS-R. 800 made homologation special, RB20DET-R motor with plenty of bespoke touches like a tubular high mount manifold for the giant T04E blower, massive intercooler bigger than the radiator, and more. The first time I jumped into one was 30 seconds before powering onto the track. And my first impression was, “This thing is broken.”
It poured itself glacially onto the pit lane exit like we were driving Ms Daisy with my right foot welded to the firewall. 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 rpm passed without any meaningful acceleration. At 5500 the boost gauge began to indicate that the oversized huffer was beginning to show some interest. By 6000rpm the scenery was starting to blur. But at 7000rpm the rev limiter called an end to play. Couple this paper-thin powerband with very soft, understeery handling and you end up with a car that was virtually impossible to guide to a decent laptime. Maybe one corner in five you get the perfect (and extremely rare) combination of engine on boost, and chassis hooked up enough to get the tail drifting to help out the overheated front tires.
A real disappointment, and an object lesson that what is good for the racers, is often not so great for the street. The previous R30 RS-Turbo was a far better car in comparison.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining, well-written, or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random JDM toy. Click through to see the best comment from last week’s question, “Which Japanese car was the biggest manga star?” Continue reading
Posted in manga, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week
Tagged choro-q, minicars, nissan, Question of the Week, r31, skyline, subaru, subaru 360
39 Comments
Akio Toyoda’s favorite cars built by Toyota’s rivals
In case you needed more proof that Akio Toyoda is a car nut of the highest order, yesterday the ToMoCo head honcho rattled off his favorite cars that are not Toyotas. The occasion was Toyoda’s inauguration as chair of JAMA, the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, but in this day and age finding a CEO that will praise his competitors is rarer than rocking horse poop. Continue reading
Posted in isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, nissan, toyota
Tagged 110s, acura, akio toyoda, bellett, cosmo sport, dakar, honda, isuzu, mazda, mitsubishi, montero, nissan, nsx, pajero, skyline, toyota
5 Comments
Vintage Toyotas spotted on the set of Ron Howard’s Rush
Hollywood doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to movies for the die hard car nut but hope looms on the horizon. Ron Howard’s Rush, a biopic about the legendary rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 Formula One season, is filming now and is due for release in early 2013.
The team behind the project is excellent — the director of Apollo 13 and Backdraft, the writer of Frost/Nixon and The Queen, and the producers of last year’s Senna — but the real promise lies in the photo above, shot by Top Gear. Continue reading
Posted in toyota, Video Games
Tagged celica, crown, daruma, f1, formula 1, fuji speedway, james hunt, kujira, ms75, niki lauda, ra21, ra22, ron howard, rush, s60, ta21, ta22, toyota
5 Comments
Friday Video: New NSX commercial could explain what’s wrong with Honda
Remember in the 80s and 90s when Honda could do no wrong? Compare those steallar lineups to the current one and even the most die hard Honda head is asking himself, “What in Soichiro’s name is going on?” Honda Japan’s latest commercial could explain. Continue reading
EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 04
We’ll let Patrick Ng‘s gorgeous TE27 kick off the fourth and final installment of our 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage. This tasty mango began life as a 1973 SR-5, an ultra-rare US-spec version of the Corolla Levin, with metal flares and all straight from the factory but minus the twin-cam 2T-G. Patrick’s ground-up resto-mod addressed that particular issue and added a whole lot of period correct TRD goodies to boot. It was the perfect car to have at the JNC booth. Continue reading
Posted in events, toyota, trucks, vip, wagons
Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 4runner, 5-axis, a60, ae83, august, aw11, barikan, camry, celica, corolla, corona, e70, estima, feroce, five axis design, fj40, fj45, fr-s, gt 86, hilux, junction produce, kp61, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma61, mr2, n1, pickup, previa, ra21, ra22, ra28, ra29, riverge, riverside, rs watanabe, rt40, rt52, s-5, scion, soarer, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, starlet, stout, supra, sw20, t40, te27, te72, tom's, tosco, toyota, toyota 86, toyotafest, trd, trueno, v10, vip, watanabe, work wheels, z10
16 Comments
Five Axis Design developing Retro Series Scion FR-S
Five Axis Design is well known for creating stunning aero kits and drool-inducing concept cars for Scion, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. But in the midst of all the SEMA-style glam, if you looked closely there were always clues that an old school heart was beating beneath. So when the production neo-hachiroku hit the streets we knew they’d have something special in store and they proved us right. Today Five Axis Design announced the development of a Retro Series Scion FR-S. Continue reading
Posted in toyota
13 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 03
We start the 17th Annual All-Toyotafest coverage with a perennial fave, Jorge Aguilera‘s Fuji-reminiscent green 18R-G turbo Celica. Note the fender mirrors, which are not green but gunmetal carefully matched to the accompanying Wats. Continue reading
Posted in events, toyota
Tagged 2000gt, 2012 All-Toyotafest, 3s-ge, 4a-ge, a3a, a60, A80, advan, ae86, barikan, bbs, cabe toyota, camry, celica, century, chaser, corolla, corona, cressida, crown, cusco, e70, fj40, fj55, hachiroku, jza80, land cruiser, levin, lexus, Lexus GS, Lexus LS, Lexus RX, ma61, mark II, mf10, mx32, mx62, mx73, ra21, ra22, rs watanabe, rt40, RX330, s190, s50, sprinter, stout, supra, t40, ta22, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, vip, watanabe, x30, x60, x70, xv30
23 Comments
Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest manga star?
You knew it was coming. After last week’s QotW about the best Nihon car movie star, we now grill you about the Japanese art form known manga and its in-motion equivalent.
What Japanese car is the biggest manga/anime star?
Being the hachi-head that I am my personal (and the most obvious) choice would have been Initial D‘s Tofu Delivery Special, as it probably hooked more Americans on drifting, and by extension old RWD Japanese cars in general, than anything else. But I was outvoted by Kev and John, who formed their own zoku and crowned the Z10 Soarer from Shakotan Boogie as king.
Michiharu Kusunoki‘s coming-of-age tale about cars, girls, and getting into trouble with both of them predates his seminal 1999 work Wangan Midnight by 13 years. Protagonists Hajime and Koji’s misadventures in a white-and-blue first-gen Toyota Soarer drove the story, delving into the world of the low-level bosozoku. The manga was so popular that many cars from it have been replicated in real life, and not just for the subsequent live-action movie.
What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining, well-written, or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random JDM toy. Click through to see the best comment from last week’s question, “Which Japanese car was the biggest movie star?” Continue reading
Posted in minicars, Question of the Week, toyota
Tagged Fast and the Furious, Initial D, Question of the Week, Shakotan Boogie, soarer, sports 800, toyota, z10
21 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 02
Part 02 of our 2012 All-Toyotafest coverage starts off with a pair of our favorite neoclassic Celicas. Moises Rivera (white) and Jesse Ortiz‘s (blue 1JZ-swapped) wedge-shaped A60s are the very definition of 1980s knife’s edge styling, and the US-spec GT-S flares allow for uber-deep barrels. Continue reading
Posted in events, toyota
Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 2jz, a20, a40, a60, a70, advan, ae86, aw11, celica, chaser, corolla, corona, corona mark II, coupe, cressida, dori, e100, e70, fj40, hilux, land cruiser, levin, liftback, ma70, ma71, mark II, MkI, mr2, ra21, ra22, sa3r, scion, sprinter, ssr, supra, t130, t60, ta22, takechi project, te72, toyota, toyotafest, trueno, wagon, wangan, x60, xb
13 Comments
EVENTS: 2012 All-Toyotafest, Part 01
The 2012 All-Toyotafest was abuzz with the excitement generated by the neo-hachiroku. After a decade and a half of supposedly sporty front-wheel-drive offerings, the lightweight FR Toyota is back with a vengeance. For throngs of Toyotaku in attendance it was cause for celebration. Continue reading
Posted in events, toyota, wagons
Tagged 2012 All-Toyotafest, 5-axis, 80-series, a20, ae86, august, celica, corolla, corona, ct200h, e20, feroce, g's, land cruiser, levin, lexus, mango, peanut, ra29, sprinter, sr-5, ssr, star shark, t80, te21, te27, te28, te37, tosco, toyota, toyotafest, trd, trueno, wagon, work equip 01
27 Comments
MINICARS: Hot Wheels’ mid-engined Honda CR-X
In 1981 Hot Wheels debuted the Hot Ones, a line of diecast cars with an articulating suspension and thin axles for a smooth, frictionless ride across your tabletop. Mattel has been busy re-launching many of the iconic cars from this series, as well as adding new models that weren’t included in the original collection but probably should have been. Case in point: the Honda CR-X, an 1980s icon of sport compacts.
Posted in honda, manga, minicars
Tagged ballade, cr-x, crx, diecast, honda, hot ones, hot wheels, Keiichiro Shinmura, king, manga, minicars, ultra hots
7 Comments
EVENTS: Motorsport Auto’s 2012 Z-car West Coast Nationals
This year Motorsport Auto brought back the Z-car West Coast Nationals with a full scale show at their headquarters. The theme was “Back to the Streets,” the street being a closed-off stretch of Collins Avenue in Orange, California, just like in days of old. Continue reading
Posted in events, nissan
Tagged 10th anniversary, 240z, 260z, 280z, 280zx, 300zx, 350z, 370z, 50th anniversary, 510, black gold, black pearl, bluebird, datsun, fairlady z, kameari, l24, l28, longchamp, motorsport auto, msa, n42, nissan, rb, rebello, s130, s30, ssr, superlite, wagon, watanabe, xr-4, z-car west coast nationals, z31, z32, z33, z34, zap
18 Comments
Question of the Week: What Japanese car was the biggest movie star?
Not counting the Fast and Furious franchise, cars of Japanese origin don’t usually feature too prominently in Hollywood productions. But that makes their rare appearances all the more special, which brings us to this week’s question:
What Japanese car was the biggest movie star?
Winston Wolf’s Acura NSX was an unexpected treat in Pulp Fiction. When Harvey Keitel’s mob cleaner was called upon to resolve a, uh, mind blowing accident, he promised to arrive on the scene in less than 10 minutes. He got there in nine and 37 seconds. Quentin Tarrantino’s script, heavily laden with details about the exact make, model and color of each car that appeared, originally called for a silver Porsche 911. But it had been written before Honda‘s magnum opus was unleashed on an unsuspecting public and became the most badass import on the block. In contrast, Bruce Willis’ totaling of a white 1980 Honda Civic in another scene is played for laughs. That only 10 years separates the two cars is truly mind blowing. What say you, dear reader? (Let’s keep it non-anime. That’ll be a future QotW.)
As always, the most entertaining, well-written, or inspiring comment by next Monday will receive a random JDM toy of some kind. Click through to see the winner of last week’s question, “Which nostalgic had the best nickname?” Continue reading
Posted in honda, Question of the Week, toyota
Tagged a20, acura, celica, civic, daruma, honda, nsx, Question of the Week, toyota
74 Comments
Kidney, Anyone? 22,000-mile 1974 Toyota Celica ST
In Ashland, Kentucky right now there sits a gorgeous 22,000-mile daruma waiting for a new owner. The 1974 Toyota Celica ST is as mint as mint can be and swathed in a period brownish-green. Everything is original except for the Cragar wheels, but it appears that the original steelies and hubcaps still reside in boxes stowed in the trunk. Perhaps the only downside is the fact that it’s equipped with a 3-speed slushbox, but luckily early Toyotas have a pre-punched hole in the firewall to pass a clutch master through. Just be sure to save the rubber plug for posterity’s sake. As of this writing, its reserve has been met and exceeded at $13,050. See more photos on eBay. Continue reading
